Missing detail about our courtship/Our yearly renewed engagement/My anniversary present to Amy

In reading over what I had written regarding the story of how Amy and I got together, I forgot one important detail. Those who may have read that post already will recall that, when I proposed to Amy, I apologized for not having a ring for the occasion, which she said was okay. During the week that followed, we searched for such a ring that would be perfect for the woman who had given me her hand. In the process, we tried several rings. Amy had told me that she wasn't one of those girls who measured the level of the love her man had for her by the size and price of the ring. She made it clear that, while she wanted some say in what I bought her, ultimately, it would be my decision. When she said that, I made a list of my qualifications. As corny as it may sound to anyone else, the requirements were exactly as follows: simple but elegant, inexpensive but priceless. And with that in mind, the ring saleswoman found the perfect one. Before slipping the ring on her finger, I took the opportunity to propose again, this time much more simply.

Proposing was such a wonderful experience that, when I contemplated the love we shared and the wonder I felt at her continuing acceptance, love, and devotion, I expressed to Amy my desire to propose anew to her every year on the anniversary of our engagement. So, for the last six years, on the night of Independence Day, Amy takes me to the grounds of the Mount Timpanogos Temple and I propose to her again. The words are always different each year, and some years have been better than others, but it is a most wonderful tradition. For 2016, while she slept or was involved in doing her own things, I felt that the turmoil of the last year warranted a special proposal, so I got my thoughts and feelings down in a letter, in which I included a song whose tune I had borrowed from a country song, but for which I had written  new lyrics that highlighted the way we met and married. If any of you would like to review those lyrics, please click here.

I felt that this year for our anniversary, since Amy had last year found us rings inlaid with the traditional fifth-year wedding gift of wood, and because we have been having such a hard time lately, a special gift was in order. I was able to order that gift on my birthday via a special offer that only applied for that day. I hope Amy will like it, and that it will, even in the smallest part, atone for and make up for my many mistakes and my selfishness, which has been an issue to a certain degree during the entirety of our marriage. Believe me when I say that this was the very least I could do to show my love for her. I am hoping that the gift will arrive before Christmas. Thanks.

Apostolic Age Statistics

Having needed to lay low over the weekend, and, due to not being able to do much as a result of my negative reaction to the medication I have now been taken off, I have let many possible blog topics slide for a few days, one of them this one I am doing now, and the other one a massive general Church news update, which I hope to be able to get to within the next few days.

It is time once again for that time-honored tradition I have of letting my readers know about the latest apostolic age averages. Note that the averages I will mention here are current as of Sunday the 18th.

As of last Sunday, the age of the First Presidency is averaged at 83 years even. In the meantime, the average age of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is 74.55 years, while the average age of the 15 apostles together is 76.24. Nothing has changed in terms of who is closest to these averages. It is President Eyring for the First Presidency, who marked 83.55 years on Sunday. The Quorum of the Twelve is an even split between the Quorum of the twelve Apostles, with Elder Holland (at 76.04 years) as the youngest of the oldest half, and Elder Christofferson (at 71.90 years) as the oldest of the youngest half. Of the 15 apostles, Elder Cook (who, at 76.28 years, is the 7th oldest and the 10th in seniority) and President Uchtdorf (who, at 76.12 years, has the distinction of being in the 8th position in terms of both age and seniority) who are the closest to that average.

With the unpredictability of my health situation and what will happen in terms of celebrating the holiday season with both my family and Amy's family, I can't honestly say at this point whether or not there will be another such report before the year changes. But I will weigh everything appropriately in the balance and will post again on these averages as soon as I feel I can. Thanks for your readership. Any and all feedback is welcome and appreciated.

422nd Mission of the Church Announced Today/100th Stake organized in 2016

Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Presidency of the Seventy today represented the Church in announcing that the 422nd mission of the Church will be created effective January 1, 2017. What is now known as the Family and Church History Headquarters Mission will next year be renamed the Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission. The change was announced to missionaries currently serving in the mission. Elder Christensen was accompanied by Elder Bradley D. Foster and Elder J. Devn Cornish.

Much has been said of this mission. When I was excused from full-time missionary service, many encouraged me to consider this mission as an option for me. But as my bishop and stake president had left the determination of the manner of my service up to me, in consultation with the Lord, I determined that I needed to serve at the temple and with Welfare Services. And this proved to be an inspired choice in some ways, because it was as a result of an extension of my initial service period at the temple that I was able to meet Amy. But I can understand why the headquarters mission appeals to so many, and I have the utmost admiration and respect for those who choose to serve there. To read more about this mission, including its present functions and how naming it an official mission of the Church will extend that service, click here.

There have been many other Church news items of import, but, mostly due to my health being what it is, to say nothing of the focus on getting my life in order and in marking my mother's birthday last Wednesday (including the surprising and unexpected early return of my older sister's family), my birthday last Friday, and our 6th anniversary today, I wanted to simply highlight one other most significant Church news item. As forecast by Matthew Martinich, who maintains the LDS Church Growth, and as officially confirmed by Rick Satterfield, who maintains the LDS Church Temples website, the third stake in India, which also coincidentally has become the 100th stake created by the Church this year (marking the greatest number of stakes created by the Church in a single year since 1997) was today created in the city of Rajahmundry. It is a most unique stake, given the fact that it contains no organized wards: just five branches. But the Church must have felt it necessary to strengthen those local units in the hopes that they might someday soon become wards. I am sure Matt will focus on this landmark creation in a future post on his blog very soon.

Well, having done three most significant blog posts just today for different reasons, I think I can call it a day. Please let me know of any feedback you might have for me.

12/20/16--Late breaking news update: With my thanks to L. Chris Jones, who regularly reads and comments on my blog posts, I now am happy to report that, as part of the creation of the new stake in India, the five branches have been upgraded to wards. Click here for the names of those wards. My next post will follow in just a few minutes.